


I'm Just Like This

by covacola



Series: The Boys Have Issues™ [5]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M, This won't make sense without glancing at the rest of the series I'm sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:47:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21598633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/covacola/pseuds/covacola
Summary: Series of dealing with Prompto's insecurities, Noct's insecurities, and even Ignis's insecurities. Gladio's turn!!! (Kind of.)
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia
Series: The Boys Have Issues™ [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1548097
Comments: 3
Kudos: 59





	I'm Just Like This

**Author's Note:**

> I mean headcanon venting into fics are what fanfics are for right I hope this isn't disappointing. Very lightly references the rest of this series and while it isn't strictly necessary to have skimmed them, this is basically written to wrap the series up fyi

"Okay, so. Hear me out." 

"Oh this is gonna be good," Noctis drawled sarcastically, eyeing Prompto across the campfire. The Prince was currently lounging across his Shield's lap, the latter playfully ignoring Noct's perfectly fluffed up hair which, in Ignis's opinion, _needed_ to be toyed with. 

Prompto scoffed, sticking his tongue out and snuggling more into Iggy's side. Just to tease Noct and play along with Prompto, he brushed his fingers, gloves set aside, through his hair. 

A silent exchange ensued. Prompto both genuinely enjoying the attention and _totally_ playing it up. Noct making a face, but also smiling bc Prom's little smile was just stupid cute-- a sentiment Iggy agreed with, even while raising an eyebrow and flicking his eyes up to Gladio in a "you chose him over me so you can't complain" way. To which Gladio returned with a huff of a chuckle and mussed up Noct's hair. 

Just as Noct started to whine, Prompto cut back in. "For real!! Serious talk!" It was hard to take him seriously when he sounded like a pompous four year old-- a comparison made with the utmost affection. 

He broke away from Iggy a bit, so Gladio did the same. Ignis instinctually pulled Prompto back close to him and Noctis snaked his arms around Gladio's shoulders and pulled himself up and approximately back to how he'd been before the big lug had moved. 

Prompto grinned. "Exactly what I was going for." Three raised eyebrows. "Okay so, don't take this the wrong way, but we all still have kinda had suppressed feelings for each other, right?" 

"Oh yes, darling," Iggy said dramatically, pulling Prompto properly into his lap and kissing him. He spoke between each peck, "we could give lessons in the refined art of dancing around each other." And that they could, but that wasn't the point. 

Gladio picked up too, being far more handsy, not that Noct cared, kissing Noct's shoulder and murmuring against his skin. "Yeah, painfully slow burn we got going on." He squeezed Noct. It had been. Noct squeezed back, cuddling back against him. 

Prom rolled his eyes, but this was also nice and... He steeled himself. "I mean, you got Iggy who had repressed jealousy issues." Iggy almost looked affronted, but a quick nip at Prom's adam's apple and an immediate response of Prom tangling one hand into his hair and caressing his cheek settled him. 

Prom waved vaguely at the other two, skirting around outright making out now. "Then there's Noct, who had repressed, uh--" 

"Separation anxiety," Noct joked lightly. They all laughed. 

"And then--" Prompto paused. It really wasn't fair that he could so blatantly talk about their shit, but he couldn't even admit-- 

"We're still working on your self confidence," Iggy said mildly, kissing his cheekbone. 

"Yeah," Prompto agreed. He then looked up and caught eyes across the fire. A beautiful, rich brown. "So," he began awkwardly, "what about you, big guy? You got any deeply buried secrets like that?" 

"Oh I got some deeply buried secrets," Gladio replied and, Ifrit, how could he manage to make _anything_ sound like an innuendo, "but... I dunno if it's anything like...this stuff." 

Noct tilted his head a little, using a finger and gently lifting Gladio's chin, "you don't sound so sure." Prompto groaned inwardly. And here was Noct, voice _constantly_ like if bedroom eyes were a sound.

"Really?" Ignis asked, "nothing then?" 

Gladio shrugged, but he seemed uncomfortable. Noct and Prom very quickly shared a glance before Prompto added, "I mean you don't gotta like spill your guts out at a moment's notice or anything--" 

Gladio smirked, "it's fine." But Gladio ran a hand through his hair, trying to compose his thoughts. Noct stilled mostly, but rested his head lazily on Gladio's shoulder. Gladio, almost instinctively it seemed, began to pet Noct's hair. Noct smirked slightly. 

The other two eyed him with intensity, but also with patience. Gladio was by far the most forward of them, and even here, even if he chose not to reveal himself so suddenly, that would still be true. 

Prompto was, with all fondness, fairly easy for them to read as a general whole. The important stuff was the more subtle, unconscious things. Dealing with that had started rather quickly, but had needed a lot of care and _a lot_ of tiptoeing around the subject. For Noct, it'd taken a full meltdown for him to admit what was bothering him. Ignis's problems were likewise quickly and a bit explosively unraveled and dealt with over a period. So however Gladio wanted this to be handled, however he needed it to, they were ready and willing. 

And it was exactly that sentiment that made admitting it so...awkward. Gladio was usually, as said, pretty blunt. When he saw something, when he had a problem, he didn't let it fester too long. The few occasions he did taught him that the tried and true directness was almost always the better option. And words weren't any stranger to him. People had long ago dropped the assumption that his brawn meant any lack of brains. Iggy had definitely not been the only diplomat growing up, but Gladio had also easily picked up refinement in the unrefined. He was eloquent, but never even close to stuffy. 

But this wasn't some jumped up bureaucrat. Nor was this banter on a day off in some sleazy bar. This was deep and intimate and raw. And it... really didn't have to be. Which was what gave him pause. "I mean, it's not like you don't already know," he tried to explain. 

Ignis lifted an eyebrow, "oh? Do reiterate, for sake of redundancy and such." 

He and Gladio shared a look. Somehow, Iggy's _specific_ brand of sarcasm was especially alluring. But he didn't let himself get sidetracked. He shrugged, "I wouldn't say it's...like you, Ig. But I'm protective of you guys." His arm tightened around Noct as he said it, and the other obliged in snuggling up closer for a moment before relaxing. 

"Yup. Shield. Got it," Noct replied jokingly. 

Gladio didn't let it go though. "Exactly," his tone was serious. 

Noct pulled away slightly to look at him properly. He was so glad he did. Gladio very rarely blushed. Outside of, ahem, well. But even that was pretty much always with a smirk. Now though? The slightest look of hesitance was equal parts unusual and adorable Noct almost couldn't stop himself from kissing him again. "Uh-huh?" He encouraged. 

Gladio ground his teeth a moment, thinking. Noct was distracted, but he...never liked talking about this, which made him hesitant. Forwardness. There wasn't any point beating around the bush. "I'm your Shield, Noct." As expected, Noct flinched slightly, implications jumping... "I've spent pretty much my whole life in the mindset of wanting to protect you." Another fact he disliked. 

Gladio himself never had any issue with how he'd been raised, but it had never sat right with Noctis, who'd been wholeheartedly upset at the notion of someone's entire life revolving around him. He'd had to overcome the same hurdle with his relationship with Iggy. But with him, there was the added preemptive guilt of...his duty. 

"But it's," his eyes met Iggy's again, then Prompto's, "not just you." The intensity in his gaze softened the other two's building tension. It also put Noct at some ease. 

Gladio sighed, trying to figure out the best way to put it as he lost steam. "I generally try to be pretty hands off, though," 

"As we can tell," Noct supplied, trying to lighten his mood. 

It helped a little. At least his tongue didn't seemed to be as stuck to the roof of his mouth as much, "but I still worry." It wasn't quite enough. "About, like. Everything." 

Noct nodded. "We all double check the locks, but you check the windows, feel for mic plants, go the whole nine yards." 

"Every time," Prompto added, the knowledge becoming fully conscious. 

Ignis looked at him, "if there's more we could do--"

"No, it's fine," Gladio stopped him quickly. He forced himself to relax then shrugged, "Iggy that's literally my job." Their eyes met with that same intensity, "to protect you." All of you, he implied. 

Noct hugged him just a little tighter, then nuzzled into his neck. Gladio petted his hair a bit before Noct asked, "that it?" His tone implied he knew it wasn't. 

Gladio shrugged again, "I just...take it seriously," he began lamely. He was building himself up and knew the others were being patient with it. It comforted him into speaking more freely. "I'm not asking you to think about it, because that's literally what _I_ do. I think about what the safest course would be if the Regalia suddenly flipped over or something. I watch out for shadows on the horizon or in windows or in our peripheries. I listen for the odd rustle or randomly raised voice coming our way. I am _always_ ready to jump in should something happen. Ever." 

There was a brief silence following that before Prompto said, "and...that's not..."

"Overbearing? No," Gladio shook his head. "I grew up doing this stuff, being vigilant, being aware. It's not a chore for me and it's not overbearingly stressful." He smiled sheepishly, "that's what I meant." 

"When you said it wasn't 'anything like this stuff'," Iggy quoted. 

Noct nodded, still against Gladio's neck, "that makes sense." He pursed his lips, "guess I don't help when I run ahead," he muttered guiltily. 

Gladio resumed stroking his head, "no, but I'd rather you trust me enough to catch up with you than feeling like you're leashed to me." 

Noct smiled, chest filling with warm affection. He snuggled closer and squeezed Gladio for a moment. Gladio returned, kissing the top of his head. Across the fire, Prompto melted more into Iggy, who gave him a squeeze in return. 

"Well, that's that I guess, right?" Prompto said. 

The others blinked for a moment, so he continued, "since there's no real problem, other than to maybe be a bit more mindful sometimes--" Gladio waved him off-- "that's that then, right?" 

"Right," Gladio agreed. 

Noct stretched and yawned, "good, because I'm too sleepy to deal with a load of angst tonight," he said playfully. They laughed. 

"Aren't you always too sleepy to--" Gladio was cut off by the lazy shove Noct gave him. 

Iggy shifted and Prompto obligingly moved, "alright, enough of this for the night. Time for bed." He took Prompto's hand, probably without even realizing it, but not missing the beam on the younger's face. Gladio ignored the mild protests when he simply picked Noct up to carry him to the tent, full knowing he preferred this to walking over himself. 

And that was that. Simple and to the point. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed this concludes The Boys Have Issues™ as far as I'm concerned. May eventually tac on other things and I have a few miniseries within that need finishing but yes these are p much all my headcanons for this stuff.


End file.
